War Of Change
by sweetiepie2
Summary: Based on the movies; Draco and Hermione have never gotten along, but when Draco helps Hermione out of Malfoy Manor after Bellatrix carves "Mudblood" into her arm, things start to change. The war is on it's way, the second Wizarding war, the war, of change.
1. Chapter 1

Bellatrix looked at me cruelly, pinning my arms to the dark floor of Malfoy Manor, I screamed for help on deaf ears, no one was going to help me. She demanded to know more about how we got the sword, what else we had taken from her vault, I tried to scream, when more pain ran through my veins.  
She smiled and took out a knife with a sharp looking blade, she carved into my arm, blood dripping on the floor. I couldn't cry anymore, I couldn't make a sound. The word Mudblood, shining with freshly drawn blood, burned on my arm.  
I look around, a few people stand around me, Bellatrix smiles gleefully and licks my blood off her knife. The Malfoys, seemingly tired and distraught looking away from me, I start to accept death, knowing there is no hope for me now. Bellatrix, and the rest of the rooms inhabitants walk out of the room, leaving me alone.  
"Let's go deal with the others." Lucius hisses. I try not to cry as I think of the fate of Harry and Ron.  
I lay there for what seems like hours, the blood nearly dry on my arm. The soft clap of a pair of feet in expensive shoes makes me will my death, they have sent Draco to torture me more. I close my eyes, "Granger." He says. I let out a soft sob and await the pain, but it doesn't come.  
He kneels beside me, brings his lips next to my ear, and lets out a breath. "Play along," he whispers, standing up. He isn't holding a wand, but he shouts _Crucio _at the top of his lungs. I understand now, he wants me to scream. But why? Doesn't he have the stomach to do it? It won't make a difference, Bellatrix will be here to finish me off any minute, I'll be driven mad by the end of this, and then killed. Unless that's what Draco is here to do.  
I scream, it sounds raspy and sick. Draco shouts Crucio again, and I let out a loud sob. Hoping I'm convincing whoever I need to convince. He kneels beside me again, I search his face, holding back tears I open my mouth, "What are you doing?" I ask, he looks around, then leaves the room. He has gone to get Bellatrix, I think, I look at the carving in my arm, when I hear the clap of his shoes,  
"Sit up." He commands, his eyes darting around the room.  
I do as he says, he doesn't look capable of hurting me, even if he is holding a wand now. He throws me it, and I recognize my own. "How did you-" I start,  
"Follow me, we don't have much time." Draco says, walking to the door,  
"Why should I trust you?" I ask.  
"I promised Harry and Ron I would get you out. Dobby aparated them and the others to a safe house, Bill and Fleur are there,"  
"How do you know about the-"  
"Safe house?" He says, smirking. "Harry told me about it. Now come on." I refuse to move, I stand there like a block of stone, my mouth open. "Do you want to stay here, where they will torture you to madness? Or do you want to put a little fucking Gryffindor faith in me?" I decide, either way I'm going to die, so I follow him. We get out to the main doors. He intertwines my fingers in his and at first it seems like we are aparating, but I soon realize we are flying through the sky in a blur of black smoke. It's a weird experience, nothing like what I'm used to. It takes a bit longer, and we are engulfed in the thick black smoke. But when we are finished, I open my eyes to see we are indeed at the safe house.  
"Didn't trust me, did you?" Draco says snidely, and we make our way inside. Everyone, Harry, Ron, Luna, Bill, and Fleur, and waiting nervously in the sitting room. When we walk in Ron and Harry jump up and run to embrace me at the same time.  
"Never thought I'd see you again, 'Mione!" Ron says, Harry smiles and hugs me again.  
"Where's….where's Dobby?" I ask after everyone is through greeting me. I miss the little elf, even if I haven't seen him in weeks. Harry looks at me and opens his mouth like he's about to say something, but Fleur speaks up before he can.  
"The vittle ef died." She says, "ve buried him, just a vew moments bevore your arrival." I look around, Ron and Harry sit back down, it seems I don't have enough tears, because I only manage a few weak sobs on Draco's shoulder. Ron is behind me in an instant when I turn to Draco, I hadn't realized who Draco was for a moment, he was practically unrecognizable, he had changed. He was still Draco, but he had changed. He looks the same, although his hair is a bit messy and he is a tad on the thin side. But the Draco I knew a few months ago wouldn't have done any of this for a muggle-born, let alone me.  
Ron reaches out for me and I turn to give him another hug, he kisses my forehead, and I notice his face turning red.  
"I think we have all earned some rest." Bill says, he stands up and pats Harry on the back. Harry gives him a strained smile and clutches on to a wand.  
"Who's wand is that?" I ask, reaching for it, he pulls it away and Malfoy looks at me.  
"Its-uh-it's Malfoy's." he says. "He offered it to me."  
"I didn't offer it to you Potter, my mother did."  
"No offense but I really don't care, this will do."  
Malfoy rolls his eyes, Luna offers to show me to my room. I'll be sharing with Ron and Harry.  
I follow her up the rickety steps to a small bright room at the back of a long hallway, there are three twin sized beds and a day bed by the window. I walk to it and sit down, watching the sun set on the horizon, this would be a really nice place to vacation, but this is no vacation.  
"You should trust Draco, you know. He really has changed." Luna says, standing behind me, I turn to her and see she is looking at something in the distance.  
"I-why is that?" I ask, Luna looks at me for a moment before turning away and walking out the door. I hear the soft pats of her feet on the stairs and realize how alone I feel. I'm also confused, what made Malfoy change? He was still a deatheater, why should I trust him? It occurs to me that Harry trusted him first, with _my _life. That is still not enough to make me trust the prat, since Harry trusts so easily. He does have a people saving thing.  
Someone knocks on the door, "It's me." Harry says, "Malfoy would like to speak with you." I turn around to see Harry opening the door for Draco, in his black tux he walks for me. I must look frightened because Harry gives me a subtle thumbs up and shuts the door, and Malfoy holds up both his hands and says,  
"Unarmed."  
I glance back at the door, and Malfoy looks at me. I bite my lip and he asks if he can sit down, I let him, scooting a few inches away.  
"Granger, I wanted to….to tell you why it's okay to trust me." Malfoy plays with the snake ring on his finger, "Potter, er, Harry says it would be for the best if I told you myself."  
"Go on then, I don't have all day." I say.  
"Fuck Granger, you never even thanked me for saving your life."  
"Why should I? I think that little stunt was you repaying me for all the stuff you've brought on me. All the stuff you've done." I feel tears coming on, and they blur my vision. I remember all the times Draco called me a Mudblood, all the mean things he's said and done to me, my friends.  
"Granger, please." Draco says, taking one of my hands and intertwining his fingers with mine, I want to pull away but he looks so desperate, so apologetic. "I'm sorry." He whispers. I don't say anything, but I pull my hand from his. He looks at his hand, then at me.  
"Tell me why I should trust you." I say, once again searching his face.  
"My mother, my mother is a spy for the order," he says, "My father doesn't know, and until recently neither did I. Po-Harry knew though, and I guess he trusted me, or the heart of my mother, to get you home. Back to him and Ron, I mean." I blink, realizing I haven't been, then I'm angry. If Harry knew, why didn't I? Why didn't he tell me or Ron? Who were we to tell?  
Malfoy gets up to leave, and something, maybe guilt, maybe pride, makes me utter the words, "Thank you for saving my life, Draco Malfoy." He turns around and smirks, then he opens the door and I'm alone again.


	2. Chapter 2

The next day, April 30 as I see on the calendar, turns out to be strange. I walk downstairs in the pajama's Fleur gave me to sleep in the night before, and I see Malfoy, alone at the breakfast table, the sight of him makes my heart do a leap in my chest, and I don't know why. He is reading what looks to be a large novel, he isn't wearing a shirt, but he is wearing a pair of green satin pajama pants.  
I notice Quidditch has done him well, even if he is a bit thin I can still see why every Slytherin girl in my year wants to snog him. He looks up and smirks, "Morning." He says, his eyes dart back to the book on the table.  
"What are you reading?" I ask simply, walking to sit across from him. It may be early, and Ron and Harry may still be sleeping, but I can't be the only one up. Harry wasn't in our room, Ollivander, Luna, s_omeone _must be up…someone other than the blond sitting across from me, giving me butterflies, the git.  
"Hogwarts, a history." He says. He closes the book and leans back in his chair.  
"That book is fascinating!" I gush, he smiles, a genuine smile, not a smirk, and he aims it at me. I feel my face turning red and look down. "Is anyone else up?" I ask, he shakes his head and stands up, the book in his hand.  
"Actually, Potter w_as _up, practicing Quidditch a few moments ago on the Weasel's old broom, but he made his way to the couch…." Draco points to Harry's head, the rest of him was obscured by his invisibility cloak.  
"I see."  
There is an uncomfortable silence when I stand up, we, Draco and I, stand looking at each other for a moment. I'm scared he's going to….do something…r_ational _when Ron comes stomping down the stairs, Harry wakes up at this and shoves out of his cloak, I see Luna's head poke out from her room, which is right off the living room, and Bill and Fleur come down the stairs shortly after Ron.  
"What, did you wake the whole house?" Malfoy says.  
Ron glares at him and Harry walks over, "No," he says, "It seems the goblin, and Ollivander, are still sleeping." Ron reaches for a dinner roll and takes a bite.  
I sigh, and look at Malfoy, who half smiles at me, then bites his lip. I walk to the bookshelf in the living room and scan the books, I've read most of them, but I settle on one and curl up on the couch.

**DRACO:**

I wanted to kiss the _Mudblood._ I couldn't help it. She was so damn _intoxicating. _There is something about her I can't get my mind off.  
Ron continues to glare at me, even after Hermione is out of the room. I roll my eyes and walk to the window, looking out it, I wonder how my mother is holding up.  
I had her help getting Hermione out of there, I didn't want to think about it though. What mattered was the fact that she was safe. But was my mother?

**HERMIONE: **

I'm reading, and that's when I realize I'm alone with Malfoy for the second time that day. He is sitting on the couch next to my armchair, He's reading too, but not Hogwarts, a history, the book he's clutching is black, and I realize I can see his dark mark. I gulp, remembering that he had many failed attempts at killing Dumbledore…  
He looks up and we lock eyes. This time, Ron doesn't come stomping down the stairs, the house is silent, except for the crackle of the fire in the fire place, I look away, scanning everywhere for signs of Ron….but he is outside on his broom, and Harry is on the ground waving Draco's wand to bewitch bludgers to chase Ron.  
I look back to Malfoy, who is biting his lip now. I take a deep breath, _get out of there before the slick git does something stupid! _I think, so I stand up and walk to the bookshelf, putting the book back in it's rightful spot, I look at my hands, _turn around and walk upstairs. _I command myself, but when I turn around, Malfoy stands up quickly. I walk to the stairs when I feel a hand on my shoulder.  
"Hermione," his voice is quiet and raspy. I turn around and look into his stone-grey eyes. His hand moves down my shoulder, and down my arm before he isn't touching me anymore. We don't break eye contact for nearly a minute, I reach out to him, putting my hand on his neck, touching his face. He holds my hand there, on his face. My heart is going about ninety kilometers a minute and I can't control my breathing when he starts to lean in. I close my eyes and wait for his lips.  
"Dammit, Granger." Draco says angrily. I drop my hand from his face and he walks around me, and upstairs.

**DRACO: **

I hear her, talking to the weasel, I'm sitting in my room and it's like I can still feel her hand on my face. I can still _smell _her. I close my eyes and remember how perfect she looked, just reading. I couldn't be _falling _for Granger…could I? Something had changed when my mother told me that she was a spy for the order, it was like my world came crashing down. My dad the deatheater, my mother spy for the order. So I made my ways doing as I always do, what I want. And it got me here, falling for Granger.


	3. Chapter 3

**HERMIONE: **

That night Harry constructs a plan, we need to talk to the goblin, and Ollivander, before we can go through with it. He seems stressed, Ron and I try to calm him down, but he just gets angry with us and heads up to bed. Ron says goodnight and follows after him. I tell him I'll be there soon, but really I just need time to breathe. The war is on its way, and I know that for a fact. Someone has to win, and it might not be us. I pull my knees up and rest my head on them. I take deep breaths and close my eyes. I try to remember happy things, the wedding, but then I remember deatheaters. I scratch that and try to remember something else, but nothing comes. The wedding is the last happy, stress free memory I have, _before _the deatheaters. Then something hits me, my almost kiss with Draco.  
Never, not once, did I ever think that one of my _happy _memories would include that prat, but I can't deny that it calms me down, then it stresses me out, what if Ron was to find out? He might never forgive me, and, I think I love him. I don't know but I _think_ I love Ronald. I turn my head to look at the fire, it's changing colors calm me down and I look down to the, now scar, carving in my arm and wonder if it will ever go away, Harry's scar never has, so I doubt this will.  
I sigh and get up to go to the kitchen, someone is already in there. "Draco?" I ask quietly. The moon is shining on his blond head, and when he turns around, I notice the moon reflecting in his eyes too. He isn't wearing his usual suit and tie, just his dress shirt and some dark trousers.  
"Granger." He says. I roll my eyes and walk over to the cupboards, looking for something to eat.  
"Granger, I know you don't love him." Draco says, "because today would have never happened if you did." I look at him.  
"Look prince pureblood, I am entitled to love whoever I would like. If that's Ronald, then that's my choice."  
"You only love him because that's who everyone wants you to be with!" Draco says, raising his voice.  
"That's not the only reason, why do you even care!" I shout.  
"Then what, you don't choose who you love! I'm Draco _fucking _Malfoy!" he pauses, "if I wasn't a deatheater no one would care if you loved _me, _right?"  
"You're not! Draco you are _not _a deatheater! A deatheater wouldn't have helped me! A deatheater would have tortured me to no end, to madness!"  
"I think you're already there Hermione!" Draco says, then lifting his sleeve, he reveals the mark. "Look at this! Look at it! If that doesn't say I'm a deatheater then what does?" Draco lowers his voice, then coming closer to me, he says "What does, huh? What does?"  
I shove him away from me, "Let's get two things straight, you're damn mother has one of those too, but she's here, she's on our side, and I _don't _love you! I love Ronald. I-I've always loved him." I know I'm lying to myself now, I have to hold back tears when I say that I love Ron, but I can't trust Draco. I don't know who I love, all I know is I'm really confused.  
"Don't mention my family, my family has nothing to do with _my _choice!" I know he's lying now. He's really in denial about this, I can't say I didn't expect this.  
"Malfoy! Stop being so _thick!" _I groan, "this is an _Order _safe house, you're one of _us _now. That's what you proved to all of us yesterday, I don't understand what made you change your mind, if it was your mother or if you finally grew a conscience, but you are a part of the order! If we didn't trust you, you wouldn't be here. Don't you get it?"  
Draco just looks at me for a second, then, brushes past me. He doesn't turn around like I wish he would, he doesn't run back and kiss me like I wish he would. He just walks up the stairs, then slams the door. I look after him, wishing he would come back. Eventually Luna is behind me, she touches one of my shaking shoulders.  
"We fight with the ones we love, my dad always said that before my mum died. We would fight, you see, me and my dad. But we would always make up." I feel Luna's eyes on me but I refuse to look away from where Draco was. "Hermione, I know you love him. I think everyone knows. I can see it in your eyes. Fleur can see it in the way you look at him, maybe the boys don't know, not quite yet. I think it's okay. Draco is different, he isn't such a git anymore…" Luna takes my hand and looks where I'm looking. "You're a bright girl Hermione. I know you'll make the right choice." Luna walks back to her room. I'm alone again.

**DRACO: **

Fuck her and her fucking Order. I don't even want to be here anymore. I only came because of my mother trusting that I would follow in her footsteps, but for all I know she could be dead. Voldemort will draw out my death, I can already feel my dark mark stinging. I sit on the bed in the room I share with the Goblin, he hasn't said a word to me. He just sits in that damn chair, the sword resting near him, and looks out the window. The only time he talks is when Fleur brings him food, and even then it's a mere 'thank you', or 'more sugar please'.  
I sit in the chair next to him, "You were fighting, downstairs with the muggleborn girl." I look at the Goblin, "You love her, Mr. Malfoy."  
"How do you know who I am?" I ask, glaring at him.  
"I heard her say your name." he folds his arms. "You're a deatheater then, Lucius Malfoy's son?" he asks.  
"Maybe I am, what's it to you?" I spit. I've grown up prejudice against half breeds, who is to say it's going to stop now?  
"Nothing, I just recognize you as part of the Order, you did save the girl's life." He looks out the window, "You can deny it all you want, but you love her. Whether you like it or not, like you said. We can't choose who we love." He winks at me.  
"Well she's in love with the damn _king _or whatever." I spit, "king of the fucking soulless gingers." I add muttering, I start singing the original Weasley is our King song in my head.  
"Is she?" he asks. "Well, well." His eyes go blank and he enters back to his original state. What am I? Listening to a damn goblin? Defiling the name of wizard? But I have already done that a million times over. Wanting the Mudblood, if even for a few days was enough to do that.

**HERMIONE: **

I wake Ron and Harry up, if our plan to break into Bellatrix LeStrange's vault at Gringotts is going to roll into action anytime soon they need to wake up. I shove Harry, which is apparently enough. I noticed in our six months of horocrux hunting that he is a light sleeper.  
Ron is a bit harder to wake up, I try shoving him, but it doesn't work. So, I grab the bottom of the bedsheets and roll him onto the floor.  
"Bloody _hell._" He says.  
I look at him and smile, "No good morning?" I ask.  
He stands up and gives me a hug, "Good morning." He whispers.  
"Hey, Lovebirds, not everyone cares." Harry says, pulling on a pair of pants.  
"We aren't lovebirds!" Ron says, taking his arms from around me.  
Harry just rolls his eyes and puts his glasses on.  
We walk downstairs and Bill and Fleur look up, "I think today's the day." Bill says. Everyone is fully dressed, even, I notice, Draco. No one is smiling.  
Harry looks strained. "I need to talk to the goblin."

**DRACO: **

Harry walks upstairs, Ron and Hermione following him like lapdogs. I roll my eyes and look around. "How is this going to work? Me, without a wand?" Fleur hands me a package.  
"An anonymous owl sent this to one of our posts in Hogsmede." She says, I rip it open. It's my mother's wand.  
_Don't worry about me. ~N.M.  
_ A lot of emotions rushes over me, my mother is alive! And sane enough to send me this! They haven't figured out what she has done, she's safe.  
"Don't get too excited, Malfoy." Bill says, "Someone could have sent a counterfeit wand, Fred and George have been selling those, you don't know how well your mother is."  
"Best have Ollivander look at that." Luna says, "He'll tell you if it's safe, and if it's really hers."  
I take their advice. When Hermione comes down the stairs to get the other wands on the table, including mine, now Harry's, I ask her calmly if I may have Ollivander check my mother's too. She just nods and I follow her up to Ollivander, Harry and Ron are already there.  
Ollivander takes my wand, I'm not listening much until he says,  
"It seems it's allegiance has changed." Harry gives me a sideways glance and I hand him my mother's wand. Harry continues to look at me, I don't understand what Ollivander is talking about, nor do I understand what Harry has realized.  
When he confirms it's actually my mother's, and it's actually safe to use, I find myself content. If my mother is alive, I have something to fight for. My family, not matter how fucked up my life is I will save them.

**HERMIONE: **  
Draco takes his mothers wand and walks past me, he doesn't even look my way, I look down and Harry gives me a nod, signaling it's time for the next part of the plan.  
I put on the clothes Fleur gives me, but I'm not ready to drink the polyjuice potion. I need time to adjust and get into character. Harry suggests that Draco coach me on how to be Bellatrix, I decide it's a good idea, he _does _know her best, and we need to put everything aside and not take _any chances. _  
I walk inside his room, he's sitting reading something on his bed, fully dressed, shoes and all, I clear my throat, when I do, the goblin looks up at me, and so does Draco.  
He looks towards the goblin and stands up, "Hey, Goblin….Goblers….Gobby, hey. I think it's go time." He points towards me. The goblin starts to get up but I stop him before he can.  
"No, Draco I came to talk to you." The goblin looks at Draco, and gets up anyway.  
"I think I will go and talk to the Potter boy, he will be needing this." He reaches for the sword and with that, he walks out the door. Now Draco and I, are alone.  
"There is nothing to discuss, you need a clear head. Go, run along." Draco sits back down on his bed and opens his book.  
"Draco, I didn't come to have personal talk time. I came to have you coach me on how to be your aunt, Bellatrix." He gives me an odd look, but stands up and circles me,  
"Turn," he says. I do, he's examining the outfit, I realize. "I guess the outfit will have to work, Fleur didn't have anything more….Bellatrix?"  
"Yes, because Fleur is into Leather and Chains." I say snidely.  
"Maybe Bill is into some weird stuff in bed." Draco says, I give him a look and he rolls his eyes. "Oh come on, you hang out with two teenage boys. It's not like you're not used to it."

**DRACO:  
**We've been waiting for hours when we finally get the news. Waiting around the Safe house isn't fun business, it's even harder when I'm with a lot that has grown to hate me, I can tell they want to forgive me for everything I've done to them, or to that my family has done to them, or what I've done to their families, but it's still uncomfortable when any of them, Luna, Bill, or Fleur try talking to me like I'm an old friend. I can tell they would rather anyone else save Hermione that day.

Neville sends us an owl at around six that evening, saying their plan was successful, but that the sword was lost, and that they are now looking for a horocrux at Hogwarts. The latest news is that Snape knows Harry was spotted in Hogsmede, and that we need to get to Hogwarts as soon as possible, the war is here. I'm really a part of a different side now.  
Bill aparates us all to Dumbledore's brothers house, I have never aparated as a regular wizard, just a deatheater, so the way we aparate makes me sick to my stomach and I nearly throw up on Bill and Fleur. Neville leads us through a secret passage into Hogwarts, and tells us that Harry is on his way to the Great Hall. The place is crawling with deatheaters and Dementors, so it won't be easy for the Order to back him up.  
When we meet with the rest of the Order, I know the war has begun. Dumbledore's army is part of the Order now too, but most of them are in the great hall with the rest of the school, we walk down the main steps to the great hall, but not easily.  
On our way out of the Gryffindor common room, we meet with a whole _pack _of six or seven of Snape's security. They are easier to fight then a few deatheaters we come in contact with walking down the steps to the great hall, because by that time, it's not just Luna, Bill, Fleur and I, but the rest of the order. They don't seem surprised to see me so I'm assuming they got the news, or maybe they just don't want to say anything. I wonder how many of them know about my mother, and that's why they trust me.  
We walk into the great hall, packed with Hogwarts students. Walking in with the Order feels uncomfortable, but strangely, right. I see a few of my fellow Slytherin students gaping at me like I'm Harry Fucking Potter himself.  
"How dare you stand where he stood," I hear Harry say, I look over and notice Hermione, I try to catch her eye, but she looks scared, she's clutching her wand for dear life and her eyes are glazed over.  
"Tell them how it happened that night!" Harry screams, I step forward, "Tell them how you looked him in the eye, a man who trusted you, and killed him!" Snape flings out his wand, McGonagall is quick to protect Harry and I jump behind him, sending a curse Snape's way.  
It was an impulse to do so, both the hexes, mine and McGonagalls hit Snape's shield at the same time, we both try hexing him over and over before he aparates out through the window in a pitch of black smoke, Harry turns to me, "Malfoy, did you really just…?" he asks quizzingly, I just stare at him, before I can say anything snide or rude, everything goes dark, we hear a loud scream from one side of the room, a Slytherin first year I don't regonize is screaming, Harry is almost over to her when another first year, this one a Hufflepuff, starts screaming on the other side of the room.

"I know that many of you will want to fight…." The Dark Lord's smooth cold voice is like a knife through my skull, I try to cover my ears to block the whispers, but Voldemort is smarter then that, better then that. I suddenly realize how tough this is really going to be with such inexperience on the side I have chosen.  
"Some of you may even think that to fight is wise…" he continues, I look over to see Hermione leaning against Ron. This makes the dark lord's voice much harsher, "Give me….Harry Potter….do this and none shall be harmed….give me Harry Potter and I shall leave Hogwarts untouched…give me Harry Potter and you will be rewarded….you have one hour."  
The hall is more silent then I have ever heard it, more silent then it was even during our O.W.L's, I look around, Hermione is no longer leaning on Ron, Ron is looking back at Fred, or George, whichever. It seems as even Hogwarts is holding it's breath, when a familiar voice breaks the silence.  
"What are you waiting for?" Pansy shouts, making me jump, "someone grab him." Ginny is the first to come to Potter's aid, standing in front of him, Hermione and Ron are next,I hesitate but I finally catch Hermione's eye, I walk next to him after them, soon the whole order, and most of the Hogwarts students are surrounding Harry.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4:

Hermione:

"Draco, Draco!" I run after him, the whole school is going nuts preparing for the war, "Draco, please, stop, I need your help." He turns around and his face melts into a menacing glare, "What's the Weasel? Your personal shopper?" he says, he trys to turn around and continue on, but I pull his shoulder, "Oka, _we _need your help, we are all just as scared as you pretend not to be Draco," Ron walks over and takes my hand, "come with us," I pull Ron along and Draco trails behind, we catch Harry on the marble staircase, we repeat the plan Ron and I still haven't discussed with Draco and we get the Horocrux. I don't know why I need Draco's help, I really don't. I hope he doesn't ask, because 'I just need you', wouldn't go over well with Ron. I don't want him to die hating me, either. I want him here, by my side, fighting this war.

"Are you sure you know where we are going, _this _is where Salazar put the entrance to the chamber?" Draco asks when we walk into the girl's lavatory, Ron looks at him, eyebrows raised, "You have a better idea, Malfoy, because this is where we are going to start."

"I just never would have guessed…." Draco says, looking around.  
I give Ron a backwards glance. "Are you sure Ron? Sure this is where the entrance was? The girl's lavatory we made Polyjuice potion in?" I stop short looking at Draco,

"What? Merlin, we don't have all day, get to it." Draco says. I look to Ron, he walks over to one of the sinks and starts speaking parchial tongue to it. It opens and we look down into the biggest gaping hole I have ever seen below us, I gulp and step back, Ron looks expectantly towards me

"Ronald! Oi!, Honestly! We are in the middle of a war-"

"Draco? I thought you said you didn't like the Granger girl….called her a number of mean names if I do recall…" I turn around to see Moaning Mertyl looking lovingly at Draco,

"Mertyl this really isn't the time," Ron says, sounding angry.

"Do you not know what's happened?" Draco questions, Mertyl looks at him angrily,

"Of course not! You haven't talked to me since last year and I don't know anything that's going on! I've heard rumors, seen things…"

"Well how about you get a move on and take a short glance around the castle! We gotta go!" Ron yells, he jumps down the shoot into the chamber, Draco follows him. I hesitate, but follow Draco after I hear a umpfh from him hitting the floor of what must be the entrance, somewhere far below me.

I scream all the way down, and land right on top of Malfoy, knocking him over, Ron's face turns a nice crimson and I catch Draco's eye for half a moment before I push my way off of him.

"Well Ron, lead the way." I say.

Draco:

"Draco, there's the basilisk," Hermione says, I break a few fangs off the old skeleton. It looks like it's been here for a stone's age.

"We might lose it if we have just one," I explain, handing the remaining to Weaselbee, who is looking at me suspiciously. "How many horocruxes are left? "

Hermione holds the cup, she takes a deep breath and looks at Weasley and I, completely ignoring my question, which I find very rude, "Who…" she asks,

"Granger,"

"Hermione," we both start,

"We both agree it should be you…" I say, looking into the dark eyes of the brunette before me,

"Harry destroyed the diary, I destroyed the locket…"

"Alright, Alright." Hermione says, she kneels down, placing the cup on the hard stone ground. She raises the fang, then hesitates, I kneel down beside her, "Come on, Granger," I whisper, she raises the fang, looks over at me, and then pierces the cup.

Many things happen at once, first, we hear the shrill loud scream of Voldemort, then suddenly, we are running, trying to get away from the cup, we can't get far before we are drenched in water. I look around, Ron has fallen over, Hermione looks like she's ready to faint. I realize I have a tight hold on my mother's wand, Hermione and Ron both look at me, it's the eerie silence again. The one I had heard in the great hall, just moments before. I can hear Ron, panting, after a moment.

"Dear Lord." I say, Hermione lookss over to me, and kisses me. It's longer then I expected it to be, and more perfect then I could have ever imagined, it's like someone punched me straight in the gut. All the wind was knocked out of me for a moment, and in that moment, although I don't want to admit it, I have found something else worth fighting for. Ron must have had to come to because a few moments into our kiss he says,

"Hermione….what are you…" Hermione breaks away from me and I hold onto my sanity, wanting her to ignore the ginger, and kiss me instead.

"Oh, Ron…"

"Forget it, you have the deatheater to help you fight this war, you don't need me." Ron starts to stalk off,

"Wait, Weaslbee!" I yell, he turns around, before I know it he's got me up by my collar, and I'm off the ground.

"Ronald!" Hermione screams, he lets me down, but not before considering whether to kill me or not, I can see it flicker behind his eyes before he releases me.

"Piss off." Weasley says. He climbs through the entrance and I and Hermione watch as he walks with his head down. She turns to me and bites her lip, I kiss her forehead, still scared Ron is going to have a little tantrum and come rushing back, we smile at eachother before she takes my hand, we walk out of the chamber preparing for war. Because everything is about to change.

**Hermione: **

"Draco, we have to find Ron. I know what he's capable of when he's angry…" I sigh, "he might do something stupid."  
"Right, yeah. But how are we going to do that?" he looks around the girl's lavatory, "he could be half way across the grounds by now…it took us a while to get out of there."  
I think for a moment before it hits me, the map. I pull it out of my bag, almost ripping it, "what's this?" Draco says, trying to take the map out of my hands.  
"It's a map Harry's father made with a few of his friends…" I say, "I solemnly swear I am up to no good." The map reveals itself, I see Ron, he is on the sixth floor, with Harry.  
"Is this how Potter…" Draco starts.  
"Knew what you were up to last year?" I say, "Yes, this is how." I point to the map, "Let's go."  
We run out of the lavatory, the castle is almost empty. We run up the moving stair cases and use a new secret passage until we are on the sixth floor, Draco pulls out the map.  
"Harry and Ron are on the seventh floo-where did they go, I just saw them on this damned thing." Draco says, pointing to a blank hallway.  
"I-I'm not sure-the room of requirement." I realize, "it doesn't show up on this map…" I fold the map up and take Draco's hand, running up the last of the moving staircases to the 7th floor.  
Draco closes his eyes, and I nudge him. The door has appeared. "But I didn't…"  
"We did." I hear the rough voice of Goyle, we turn around abruptly to see Blaise and Goyle, along with Crabbe, who was run+ning up the last flight of stairs, apparently out of breath.  
"What are you doing with this…._mud_blood?" Blaise asks, poking me with his wand outstretched, like I am some animal in a cage.  
"We knew you joined the order….but we didn't think you sunk to hanging out with the wrong sort…" Goyle says, Crabbe, and Blaise laugh heartily.  
"Shut up!" Draco points his wand at Goyle and Blaise, and their wands fly out of their hands, "and if you ever call her a Mudblood again," Draco looks at Crabbe, pointing his wand, Crabbe's wand flys out of his hand, (all three of them look horrified), and I catch it, "I will have to hurt you." Draco snares, "Severely." He finishes, practically whispering.

**Draco:  
**  
I turn around abruptly, my hand outstretched, my wand pointed in the direction of the noise.  
Crabbe looks foolishly around, he had knocked down a silver pie tin and it had hit the granite floor loudly.  
"Crabbe!" Blaise says, we all turn to look at him,  
"Well, if it isn't the deatheaters coming to attack, decided to join the ranks once more, eh Malfoy?" Weasley had his wand out,  
"Ronald, honestly-"  
"Honestly what Hermione? You know where his true loyalty stands."  
Hermione looks at me, as does everyone else. "I don't care what you think Weaselbee." I say, reaching into my jacket for a wand, "I'm not a deatheater, at least not anymore, but if you're foolishly challenging me to a fight…." I point my wand at him,  
"Expelliarmus!" Harry shouts, holding the Diadem in his left hand, I block the spell, sending Harry's wand flying.  
"Boys! You're wasting your time!" Hermione shouts, pulling out her own wand,  
"Who's side are you on Hermione?!" Ron shouts as Crabbe attempts a jelly-leg curse at him, it misses and hits a stone head statue of Merlin, which turns into a pool of goop.  
Hermione looks from me, to Harry and Ron, and back. "I-I-Oi! We are in the middle of a war!"  
"All's fair in love and war!" Ron shouts, he sparks a curse at Crabbe, who turns and runs, Ron follows, and so does Goyle.  
"Malfoy, what do I do?!" Blaise asks, I take Hermione's hand, "We gotta find Harry's wand and get the hell out of here, improvise! Keep that Weasel busy!"  
"You're really on our side, Malfoy?"  
"Merlin, really, you people, what does it look like?" I lift the hand that is holding Hermione's and Harry looks at it, then nods.  
"Goyle set the bloody place on F_IRE!" _we hear Ron shout, coming from where he ran. He grabs Hermione's hand and pulls her away from me,  
"Slick Git!" I shout as loudly as I can, when I turn around, I see plumes of fire coming from all directions around me, I start climbing the nearest pile, Crabbe, Goyle, and Blaise close behind.


End file.
